It’s wild how often your gut and brain seem to be plotting something behind your back. I used to think my stomach problems were just from bad food choices or stress at work. But then came the bloating, the tight knots before meetings, and even unexpected bathroom trips. Turns out, anxiety was calling the shots…
I remember sitting in a doctor’s office years ago, overwhelmed by anxiety, desperate for something to quiet my mind. The prescription? A low-dose benzodiazepine. At the time, it felt like relief in a bottle. But no one talked about what might happen *after*. Not the dependency risks. Not the withdrawal symptoms. Not how hard it…
I was skeptical the first time someone suggested acupuncture for anxiety relief. Lying still with needles in my skin didn’t sound like a calming experience—it sounded like a setup for more tension. But when nothing else seemed to quiet the restlessness in my chest or the overthinking that hijacked my mornings, I gave it a…
When I first heard the term “cognitive behavioral therapy,” I thought it sounded way too clinical—like something reserved for textbooks or people with way bigger problems than mine. But after quietly battling years of overthinking, low-level panic, and an exhausting loop of self-doubt, I decided to give it a shot. I didn’t walk into a…
I’ll be honest—when my doctor first mentioned SSRIs for anxiety, I had no idea what to think. Part of me felt relief because I finally had a name for what I’d been going through. But the other part? Full of questions. Would they change my personality? Would I be dependent on them forever? Would they…
I used to wonder if my constant worrying, racing thoughts, and low-key dread came from something I picked up along the way—or if it had always been there. Growing up, I watched my mom obsessively recheck the stove every night. My older sister would get physically sick before school exams. It wasn’t until I hit…
One morning, I woke up with this dull, tight sensation right in the center of my chest. It wasn’t sharp, not like in the movies when someone grabs their chest and keels over—but it was enough to send me into full-blown panic mode. I thought, “This is it. Something’s wrong with my heart.” I ended…
There was a time I canceled every social plan for months. I couldn’t explain it—just the thought of being around people made my chest tighten. No one knew because I got good at hiding it. I’d send that “Sorry, not feeling great today” text and hope they didn’t press for details. That’s what anxiety disorders…
When I first started feeling like something was off, I brushed it off as “just stress.” But the racing thoughts, restless sleep, and that gnawing sense of dread that seemed to hang around for no real reason—it wasn’t just stress. It took me a while (and a couple of panic attacks) to realize what I…